This is an instructive experiment
to try upon a
group of people as a parlor game. Give each one a
blank card on which they can keep tally for themselves.
Tell them, that you are going to utter a "bad word"
which they are to try to their utmost to keep out of
their minds. The must work hard and keep their
minds on the task at hand. Every time a naughty
word comes, they art instructed to
give themselves a black mark. Time them sixty seconds
for the task and continue to suggest
to them that
they try hard. The word given may be be "devil" or "sin"
etc, changing the word each time the task is
repeated. They will be surprised at the number of black marks they Some of them will have
fewer black marks. Inquire, how they controlled their
thoughts and the chances are that they were trying
some indirect way of replacing-other fascinating topics
in their minds, perhaps - even Bible verses. Then repeat the experiment with
instuctions for the whole
group to try these methods of letting such a mind
be in them.

""You will find that some in the group have had difficulty in controlling their
thoughts and they will tell you about it privately. They will have learned a
valuable lesson in controlling their thoughts. It is
surprising how: many people have trouble with unwelcome thoughts coming into their
minds. They
blame themselves for it and consider that these suggestions are their own guilty sin and not
mere suggestions which are cast into their minds from the outside. It is
better for them to realize that these are solicitations and temptations rather than
personal sins
but that something must be done about them lest they
become an integral part of the thinking. It is evidence
that evil beings exist who are able to influence the
superficial consciousness with wicked ideas. Christians ofteri struggle against these blasphemous and often
impure ideas, and failing in the struggle against them,
they sometimes listen to the accuser of the brethren
and believe they are actually headed for perdition. To
such, this valuable lesson in psychology for the glory
of God may help them a little. However the Christian
should remember that any purely secular struggle
against the enemy will end in failure unless, are
we ready to plead the finished work of Christ, in the full
armor of God. One such believer resisted the devil
and made him flee from him by simply repeating th e
name Jesus, Jesus". We should remember that
the enemy is already overcome and that he is a de
feated foe (`Col. 2:15, Heb. 2:14) We ourselves, moreover, are already
translated into the kingdom of
His own dear Son (t& 1:13). "Nay, we are more
than conquerors," but we cannot win on our own
power alone.